A cipher letter to Lorenzo de’ Medici from Toledo, 1479

At a glanceCiphertext-only break · partial (51% of the cipher)

The letter: An unsigned letter “De Spagna” to Lorenzo de’ Medici, dated 31 August 1479 on the verso and ending “In Toledo”; Italian with cipher runs between clear words.
Where: Archivio di Stato di Firenze, Mediceo avanti il Principato, filza LXXII, doc. 171 (old c. 203); catalogue 2322.
The cipher: One sign per letter (20 signs, two for h), with about 60 code numbers and nomenclator symbols for persons; the contributor says it is not the key of the 1478 letters of the filza.
How it was read: Prabal Gupta, with AI models, fitted the key from the cipher with the clear words as cribs. The project re-decrypted the 108 cipher words that are letter runs and got his decodes in all of them; a word-list control gives 55.1% against a best of 27.7% for shuffled keys. The images were not seen here.
What it says: A league for the defence of the states; the parties show “sì poca fermeza”; a devoted friend and a brother who is comendador mayor of Alcántara; an agreement with the queen; a betrothal; a legate; a tithe on the clergy. No sentence of the cipher is whole.
Still open: About 60 code items for persons; 21 doubtful and 4 open cipher words; the images are too small to settle most doubtful signs; the transcription is an AI’s and no person has checked it.
Credit: The key, the transcription and the reading are Prabal Gupta’s, who directed AI models that did the work (issue #332), CC BY 4.0. The images were not seen here and are not reproduced.

01 The letter

An unsigned letter “De Spagna” to Lorenzo de’ Medici, dated 31 August 1479 on the verso and ending “In Toledo”, in the Archivio di Stato di Firenze (Mediceo avanti il Principato, filza LXXII, doc. 171). It is Italian with cipher runs set between clear words: one sign for each letter, and code numbers and symbols for persons. The printed inventory (vol. III, 1957, p. 183) lists it as “Anonimo” with no content; the ledger (catalogue 2322) listed it as a bare cipher letter. Prabal Gupta, directing AI models that transcribed the archive’s images, found the key and read it in part; the project could not reach the images and worked from his files. According to the contributor the images are served at 1,272 by 1,848 pixels, so the cipher signs are only 8 to 14 pixels high.

02 The key and its test

The key has 20 signs (two of them write h), found from the cipher with the clear words between the cipher runs as cribs. The contributor says it is not the key of the 1478 letters of the same filza (a cross is a there and d here); that was not compared here. About 60 code numbers and nomenclator symbols (a Φ with two dots, a dotted square, a dotted circle, a dotted triangle) stand for persons and other words; none has a value.

Checked here, with an own script: the 108 cipher words that are runs of letter signs decrypt with the key to the contributor’s literal decodes in every case. A word-list test (about 90 common Italian words) puts 55.1% of their letters in listed words, against a mean of 9.4% and a best of 27.7% for 200 shuffled keys. The contributor reports 65.3% against a mean of 1.9% and a best of 11.4% with a larger 15th-century list, a blind check of 31 words (30 agreed) and a method check on test texts. The word list shares vocabulary with the reading, so this shows that the key makes Italian, not how many words are right.

03 The reading

In the contributor’s reading, with persons left as code items, no sentence of the cipher is whole, but the clauses are Italian:

the writer sent his last letter, it seems through a merchant’s house, perhaps at Seville (both doubtful); a league “a difensione degli stati” has been or will be concluded;
the parties show “sì poca fermeza”; someone “farà loro buona cera e gl’enpierà di buone parole” (will greet them warmly and fill them with fine words);
in a passage naming Santiglana and Osma someone “mostra esere afezionato a V. M.” (letters doubtful) and “ve ne potete fidare”; a brother, a code item, is the “chomandatore magore d’Alchantara” and a close friend of the writer;
“con lei si farà l’acordo” (the queen); a betrothal; a legate; “una decima a preti”, a tithe on the clergy, of which one party “tocha la metà”.

The contributor links the letter to the peace of Alcáçovas of 4 September 1479, which Queen Isabella negotiated with Beatriz of Portugal and which arranged royal betrothals, and to Florence’s war with the Pope and Naples after the Pazzi conspiracy of 1478. The letter names neither event in clear; the link is his inference, and the background itself is his and was not checked here. The writer is not named.

04 What remains uncertain

Of 113 cipher words, 88 are read in full (77.9%), 21 hold a doubtful letter and 4 are open; counting the 60 code items for persons that stay unread, 88 of 173 cipher items are read (51%). Seven spans (lines 4, 8, 12, 13, 22 and 29) hold 43 unsettled letter positions, and the clear hand of lines 19–20, 28 and 33–35 is only partly read. The issue text says 668 of 730 letter positions (91.5%); the contributor’s folder says 663 (90.8%), which is used here.
No coded person is identified. The archive’s images are too small to settle most doubtful signs; sharper photographs are needed.
The transcription is an AI’s, re-read against the images by the contributor’s models; no person has compared it with the images, and the project did not see them.
Rubinstein’s edition of Lorenzo’s letters (vols. III and IV) and studies of Florentines in Castile in 1478–80 were not checked, so a printed reading is possible.

Full texts

The transcription and the decryption of every document on this page, so that the reading can be used and checked. Short files are shown here; all are in the repository.

Cipher letter 'De Spagna' to Lorenzo de' Medici, Toledo, 31 August 1479 (ASF, MAP LXXII 171) read in part

An unsigned letter from the court of Castile to Lorenzo de' Medici, in the contributor's reading: the writer's last letter went through a merchant's house at Seville; a league 'a difensione degli stati' has been or will be concluded; the parties show 'sì poca fermeza'; someone is devoted to Lorenzo ('ve ne potete fidare') and a brother of his is the comendador mayor of Alcántara and the writer's close friend; an agreement with the queen is to be made; a betrothal, a legate, a tithe on the clergy of which one party 'tocha la metà'. Persons are code items and stay unread; the context (the peace of Alcáçovas, 4 September 1479) is the contributor's inference.

Builds coherent sentences, but under the read bar of 95% of words read as sense (51% here); the holes are marked in the reading.

Transcription

transcription.txt

# ASF, Mediceo avanti il Principato, filza LXXII, doc. 171: transcription, 8 November 2026.
# N3/N6 are explicit numerals, not the alphabetic signs 3/6; UNK is a blotted letter position.
# Clear-hand text in brackets remains provisional; ? and ... are retained, not silently completed.
# One line per manuscript line. Cipher words are separated by " | ". Clear text between runs is in [..] (rough reading).
# Letter-like tokens: + cross; t t-cross; f f with bar; S long s; s round s; 6 six; v v with right loop; l hooked l (e-like);
#   R R/K sign; n n; d theta; 3 yogh (3 with tail); j yogh with closed loop (delta-like); c c; o small o; b b with bar;
#   p p; q q/9; g g-like; h h-like; # barred long stroke.
# Nomenclator symbols: P1 Phi with two dots; Pe Phi with an e/l inside; P+ Phi with a cross; P plain Phi;
#   Q dotted square; QR square with R inside; O dotted circle; D dotted triangle. Digit groups stand alone as code numbers.
# X ink blot. A trailing ? marks a doubtful sign.
L01 [Mag.co et generoso domino. Dato ch.. b.. per l'ultima scrissi a V. M.tia · m · a chasa d'uno merch.. fa] + [a Sivig(lia) quello]
L02 [era seguito sino a quello giorno · ora che] N6 | P1 | f h l 3? 3? f | t q S s +? v h 6 S | R l n f | [no?] | 7 8 | Q | [solo]
L03 f + v j l s 6 v S s l | + l n R v 6 d f d v | [a vr bon la fama] | [che] | t f | 6 t h s S | + R S 3 S | j h 6 v s S | 4 6 | 8? 9? 4 6
L04 0 4 7 | 8 4 7 | 2 | R S 6 l s d v | [e dinanzi che] | R f | 6 v 6 l 3 f | 6 v | [si da tutto? che] | s S 6 v s d l | + l 6 v | [dello]
L05 t S 6 l | t S b v s t f d l | [ma che modo a chostoro ano] | 6 v c S t f j l 3 b l p f | [che · 2 · chiamo? che? gia?]
L06 7 | 9 | Q | [la vorra altrimenti la ragione a sua maesta posto che stallono?] | c f 3 b l | c 3 S c S 6 v d S | [ma bianco?]
L07 [Loro lo mio] | R l | c 3 S b l 6 l | 6 f 3 f s S | [non e?] | 6 h | Pe | [a questa prima vrano?] | N6 | 5 9 | [non ... d'ustaim..?]
L08 [molto prima] | S? b r c h 8? | [@ inso?] | t R | D | [gia · 10 · giudice? e vono? che] | O | [a biss.. ...] | + | Pe
L09 [ch(e) prima?] | [che?] | 9? | 2 | R S 6 l s d v | l + v 6 v | [finalmente?] | t q l | P? | [ch?] | b f s + f 3? s S | [de sopra no possiamo?]
L10 [Il re?] | 4 5 | [ti? un mo?] | R f R l n f | [che] | [S.. ..tuttah?] | 5 | P? | 7 | [e molti altri chose in modo che] | R f | P | v S f
L11 [Conosco? e della brava via?] | l f + l d v | Pe | 6 v + f | R l n v l 3 f t q S b l 6 v S s l | l 6 f 3 f s S
L12 + | X | 4 4 | 4 8 | j f 3 f R S 3 S o h S s f t l 3 f | l n R l s c v l 3 f + o h S s l | c f 3 S R l | + p o 3
L13 [loro s'achordano loro viaggio? e degli? bra magnificenza imbasc..?] | a? | X | QR | l j 3 f s t
L14 + v 6 f s d v n | R f s f | P? | + S 6 b f | [degli altri] | 5 0 | + l R | O | [che de ... e mostra] | l 6 l 3 l
L15 f j l p v S s f? d S | [a V. m. par..?] | + f S c l 3 f 3 R S | [p(er)?] | [... quella cosa che fusse facendo] | h l s l c S
L16 d l d l j v + f 3 l | N3 | h s 6 h S j 3 f d l R S | [che] | l | X t q S b f s + f d S 3 l | b f n S 3 l | + f R t q f s
L17 d f 3 f | l b S R d S b v S f b v t S | [e tanto che sola potuto fuggire] | t f + f d S | 3 1 | 2 3 2?
L18 l | 6 t S c l 3 d S | S n s v | 4 1 | l f | 6 t 3 v d S f R + l d S | P | [che sarano? de chomuni?] | t? q S s | 4 4 | 4 8
L19 [potrà fare] | 2 | [Et a te? ghano? allegato? chel va a la casa sua? Io vi ... quello che si ...]
L20 [posso(n)? ... dire? / Quello? ... non se ... parlato? più volte ... che per ... di tornar...]
L21 [... fulline fatto segnio?] | R f | 2 9 | 8?
L22 N6 | P1 | [ando? mmunato?] | q? f d 3 S n v n R S f | R f 3 l v s f | [onde? per?] | t S s R l v | 6 v j f 3 f R f t S 3?
L23 + S | 8 | Q | v s d l s + l d l t q l | R f | [che?] | l + | 6 c S | 6 f d f t q S R | 2 8 | + l | P1 | t # v S t 3 l + S
L24 t q l d f R | P+ | s S f s + 3 f [prima?] | l R l n f d S t q l t l 3 f | h l s h d S c l 3 | D | [che] | P1 | s S
L25 f t l d f 3 f | [a tanto fatto che] | P1 | R f f t l d f d S l + l d f | 3 9 | h s f + l t v b f | f c 3 l d v
L26 [et] | P1 | d S t q f R f b l d f [p(er)?] | N3 N3 | 6 v j f d h d S | [anchora non ... giorno ...] | f c S 3 R f | l t S s t
L27 + f d? v 3 l | [anch.. ogni cosa allora magn..] | l b f | 6 v b l | c l 3 | s S s + l 6 3
L28 [persona che s'abbia? ... l'osteria? ... diga? ... lo ... per? di? Gran chaso? ...]
L29 [...] | 3 f d S | S n s v R l n f b l | [che cosa fatica? si scrivelle?] | h v 6 d S v R c S t q S
L30 f b S 3 l | [che] | l d 3 f R S 3 S | [et] | [clear]
L31 [ogni spera? quelche mes.. che e poi? sino tornera d'qua] | l t q S s R h v | [nischono?] | v d v | n R v
L32 Pe | + | Q | [pogo?] | t q S s d l s d v | s S s 6 S 6 l c l UNK t q f b v s S n R f + S R t v 3 f | [nessuno?]
L33 [Le mie noze? che V. M.? intenda? ... se gli ... alchuna? ... per fare? ... altra? ...]
L34 [a star colla maestà? et vicina? ventura? fortuna? meglio ... al ... di mancho?]
L35 [chose? ... troppo ... favore? ... mi bisogni? ... nulla? ... d'alcuna cosa alla]
L36 [quale m'arachomando] | v s d S R l + S f | 3 0 | + | 5 6
# Verso (images/f72_d171_v.jpg), clear text, read at 1.3x:
V01 [Mag.co et generoso d(omi)no / (Lo)renzo de Medici(s) ... / Firenze]  (address, centre)
V02 [1479 / Di Spagna / a dì 31 d'agosto]  (endorsement, left edge, turned 90 degrees)

Decryption

decryption.txt

# ASF, MAP LXXII 171: line-by-line decryption, 8 November 2026; all manuscript lines are represented.
# Cipher items: ID, kind, raw tokens, literal decode, status mask, reading.
# R=read; D=doubtful; O=open. Masks address letter positions only.
# UNK is a blotted letter position; isolated X is a blot, not a named person.

L01 [Mag.co et generoso domino. Dato ch.. b.. per l'ultima scrissi a V. M.tia · m · a chasa d'uno merch.. fa] + [a Sivig(lia) quello]
L01.1	cip	+	d	D	d(i)?

L02 [era seguito sino a quello giorno · ora che] N6 | P1 | f h l 3? 3? f | t q S s +? v h 6 S | R l n f | [no?] | 7 8 | Q | [solo]
L02.1	num	N6			
L02.2	sym	P1			
L02.3	cip	f h l 3? 3? f	auerra	RRRDDR	ave[r?][r?]à
L02.4	cip	t q S s +? v h 6 S	chondiuso	RRRRDRRRR	chon[d?]iuso (conchiuso?)
L02.5	cip	R l n f	lega	RRRR	lega
L02.6	num	7 8			
L02.7	sym	Q			

L03 f + v j l s 6 v S s l | + l n R v 6 d f d v | [a vr bon la fama] | [che] | t f | 6 t h s S | + R S 3 S | j h 6 v s S | 4 6 | 8? 9? 4 6
L03.1	cip	f + v j l s 6 v S s l	adifensione	RRRRRRRRRRR	a difensione
L03.2	cip	+ l n R v 6 d f d v	deglistati	RRRRRRRRRR	degli stati
L03.3	cip	t f	ca	RR	ca-
L03.4	cip	6 t h s S	scuno	RRRRR	-scuno (cascuno)
L03.5	cip	+ R S 3 S	dloro	RRRRR	d(i) loro
L03.6	cip	j h 6 v s S	fusino	RRRRRR	fusino
L03.7	num	4 6			
L03.8	num	8? 9? 4 6			

L04 0 4 7 | 8 4 7 | 2 | R S 6 l s d v | [e dinanzi che] | R f | 6 v 6 l 3 f | 6 v | [si da tutto? che] | s S 6 v s d l | + l 6 v | [dello]
L04.1	num	0 4 7			
L04.2	num	8 4 7			
L04.3	num	2			
L04.4	cip	R S 6 l s d v	losenti	RRRRRRR	lo senti
L04.5	cip	R f	la	RR	la
L04.6	cip	6 v 6 l 3 f	sisera	RRRRRR	si serà
L04.7	cip	6 v	si	RR	si
L04.8	cip	s S 6 v s d l	nosinte	DDDDDDD	no(n) s'inte-?
L04.9	cip	+ l 6 v	desi	DDDD	-desi?

L05 t S 6 l | t S b v s t f d l | [ma che modo a chostoro ano] | 6 v c S t f j l 3 b l p f | [che · 2 · chiamo? che? gia?]
L05.1	cip	t S 6 l	cose	RRRR	cose
L05.2	cip	t S b v s t f d l	comincate	RRRRRRRRR	comincate
L05.3	cip	6 v c S t f j l 3 b l p f	sipocafermeza	RRRRRRRRRRRRR	sì poca fermeza

L06 7 | 9 | Q | [la vorra altrimenti la ragione a sua maesta posto che stallono?] | c f 3 b l | c 3 S c S 6 v d S | [ma bianco?]
L06.1	num	7			
L06.2	num	9			
L06.3	sym	Q			
L06.4	cip	c f 3 b l	parme	RRRRR	parme
L06.5	cip	c 3 S c S 6 v d S	proposito	RRRRRRRRR	proposito

L07 [Loro lo mio] | R l | c 3 S b l 6 l | 6 f 3 f s S | [non e?] | 6 h | Pe | [a questa prima vrano?] | N6 | 5 9 | [non ... d'ustaim..?]
L07.1	cip	R l	le	RR	le
L07.2	cip	c 3 S b l 6 l	promese	RRRRRRR	promese
L07.3	cip	6 f 3 f s S	sarano	RRRRRR	sarano
L07.4	cip	6 h	su	RR	su
L07.5	sym	Pe			
L07.6	num	N6			
L07.7	num	5 9			

L08 [molto prima] | S? b r c h 8? | [@ inso?] | t R | D | [gia · 10 · giudice? e vono? che] | O | [a biss.. ...] | + | Pe
L08.1	cip	S? b r c h 8?	om_pu_	OOOOOO	
L08.2	cip	t R	cl	OO	
L08.3	sym	D			
L08.4	sym	O			
L08.5	cip	+	d	D	d(i)?
L08.6	sym	Pe			

L09 [ch(e) prima?] | [che?] | 9? | 2 | R S 6 l s d v | l + v 6 v | [finalmente?] | t q l | P? | [ch?] | b f s + f 3? s S | [de sopra no possiamo?]
L09.1	num	9?			
L09.2	num	2			
L09.3	cip	R S 6 l s d v	losenti	RRRRRRR	lo senti
L09.4	cip	l + v 6 v	edisi	RRRRR	e disi
L09.5	cip	t q l	che	RRR	che
L09.6	sym	P?			
L09.7	cip	b f s + f 3? s S	mandarno	RRRRRDRR	manda[r?]no

L10 [Il re?] | 4 5 | [ti? un mo?] | R f R l n f | [che] | [S.. ..tuttah?] | 5 | P? | 7 | [e molti altri chose in modo che] | R f | P | v S f
L10.1	num	4 5			
L10.2	cip	R f R l n f	lalega	RRRRRR	la lega
L10.3	num	5			
L10.4	sym	P?			
L10.5	num	7			
L10.6	cip	R f	la	RR	la
L10.7	sym	P			
L10.8	cip	v S f	ioa	RRR	io a

L11 [Conosco? e della brava via?] | l f + l d v | Pe | 6 v + f | R l n v l 3 f t q S b l 6 v S s l | l 6 f 3 f s S
L11.1	cip	l f + l d v	eadeti	RRRRRR	e a deti
L11.2	sym	Pe			
L11.3	cip	6 v + f	sida	RRRR	si dà
L11.4	cip	R l n v l 3 f t q S b l 6 v S s l	legierachomesione	RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR	legiera chomesione
L11.5	cip	l 6 f 3 f s S	esarano	RRRRRRR	e sarano

L12 + | X | 4 4 | 4 8 | j f 3 f R S 3 S o h S s f t l 3 f | l n R l s c v l 3 f + o h S s l | c f 3 S R l | + p o 3
L12.1	cip	+	d	D	d(i)?
L12.2	blot	X			
L12.3	num	4 4			
L12.4	num	4 8			
L12.5	cip	j f 3 f R S 3 S o h S s f t l 3 f	faralorobuonacera	RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR	farà loro buona cera
L12.6	cip	l n R l s c v l 3 f + o h S s l	eglenpieradbuone	RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR	e gl'enpierà d(i) buone
L12.7	cip	c f 3 S R l	parole	RRRRRR	parole
L12.8	cip	+ p o 3	dzbr	DDDD	et poi? / unresolved

L13 [loro s'achordano loro viaggio? e degli? bra magnificenza imbasc..?] | a? | X | QR | l j 3 f s t
L13.1	cip	a?	_	O	
L13.2	blot	X			
L13.3	sym	QR			
L13.4	cip	l j 3 f s t	efranc	RDDDDD	e Franc[...?] / è franc[o?]

L14 + v 6 f s d v n | R f s f | P? | + S 6 b f | [degli altri] | 5 0 | + l R | O | [che de ... e mostra] | l 6 l 3 l
L14.1	cip	+ v 6 f s d v n	disantig	RRRRRRRR	di Santig-
L14.2	cip	R f s f	lana	RRRR	-lana
L14.3	sym	P?			
L14.4	cip	+ S 6 b f	dosma	RRRRR	d'Osma
L14.5	num	5 0			
L14.6	cip	+ l R	del	RRR	del
L14.7	sym	O			
L14.8	cip	l 6 l 3 l	esere	RRRRR	esere

L15 f j l p v S s f? d S | [a V. m. par..?] | + f S c l 3 f 3 R S | [p(er)?] | [... quella cosa che fusse facendo] | h l s l c S
L15.1	cip	f j l p v S s f? d S	afezionato	RRRRRRRDRR	afezion[a?]to
L15.2	cip	+ f S c l 3 f 3 R S	daoperarlo	RRRRRRRRRR	da operarlo
L15.3	cip	h l s l c S	uenepo	RRRRRR	ve ne po-

L16 d l d l j v + f 3 l | N3 | h s 6 h S j 3 f d l R S | [che] | l | X t q S b f s + f d S 3 l | b f n S 3 l | + f R t q f s
L16.1	cip	d l d l j v + f 3 l	tetefidare	RRRRRRRRRR	-tete fidare
L16.2	num	N3			
L16.3	cip	h s 6 h S j 3 f d l R S	unsuofratelo	RRRRRRRRRRRR	un suo fratelo
L16.4	cip	l	e	R	è
L16.5	cip	X t q S b f s + f d S 3 l	_chomandatore	RRRRRRRRRRRR	[?] chomandatore
L16.6	cip	b f n S 3 l	magore	RRRRRR	magore
L16.7	cip	+ f R t q f s	dalchan	RRRRRRR	d'Alchan-

L17 d f 3 f | l b S R d S b v S f b v t S | [e tanto che sola potuto fuggire] | t f + f d S | 3 1 | 2 3 2?
L17.1	cip	d f 3 f	tara	RRRR	-tara (d'Alchantara = Alcantara)
L17.2	cip	l b S R d S b v S f b v t S	emoltomioamico	RRRRRRRRRRRRRR	e molto mio amico
L17.3	cip	t f + f d S	cadato	RRRRRR	c'à dato
L17.4	num	3 1			
L17.5	num	2 3 2?			

L18 l | 6 t S c l 3 d S | S n s v | 4 1 | l f | 6 t 3 v d S f R + l d S | P | [che sarano? de chomuni?] | t? q S s | 4 4 | 4 8
L18.1	cip	l	e	R	e
L18.2	cip	6 t S c l 3 d S	scoperto	RRRRRRRR	scoperto
L18.3	cip	S n s v	ogni	RRRR	ogni
L18.4	num	4 1			
L18.5	cip	l f	ea	RR	e à
L18.6	cip	6 t 3 v d S f R + l d S	scritoaldeto	RRRRRRRRRRRR	scrito al deto
L18.7	sym	P			
L18.8	cip	t? q S s	chon	DRRR	[c?]hon
L18.9	num	4 4			
L18.10	num	4 8			

L19 [potrà fare] | 2 | [Et a te? ghano? allegato? chel va a la casa sua? Io vi ... quello che si ...]
L19.1	num	2			

L20 [posso(n)? ... dire? / Quello? ... non se ... parlato? più volte ... che per ... di tornar...]

L21 [... fulline fatto segnio?] | R f | 2 9 | 8?
L21.1	cip	R f	la	RR	la
L21.2	num	2 9			
L21.3	num	8?			

L22 N6 | P1 | [ando? mmunato?] | q? f d 3 S n v n R S f | R f 3 l v s f | [onde? per?] | t S s R l v | 6 v j f 3 f R f t S 3?
L22.1	num	N6			
L22.2	sym	P1			
L22.3	cip	q? f d 3 S n v n R S f	hatrogigloa	OOOOOOOOOOO	unresolved: hatrogigloa
L22.4	cip	R f 3 l v s f	lareina	RRRRRRR	la reina
L22.5	cip	t S s R l v	conlei	RRRRRR	con lei
L22.6	cip	6 v j f 3 f R f t S 3?	sifaralacor	RRRRRRRRRRD	si farà l'acor-?

L23 + S | 8 | Q | v s d l s + l d l t q l | R f | [che?] | l + | 6 c S | 6 f d f t q S R | 2 8 | + l | P1 | t # v S t 3 l + S
L23.1	cip	+ S	do	RR	-do
L23.2	num	8			
L23.3	sym	Q			
L23.4	cip	v s d l s + l d l t q l	intendeteche	RRRRRRRRRRRR	intendete che
L23.5	cip	R f	la	RR	la
L23.6	cip	l +	ed	RR	è d(i)-
L23.7	cip	6 c S	spo	RRR	-spo-
L23.8	cip	6 f d f t q S R	satachol	RRRRRRRR	-sata chol; de
L23.9	num	2 8			
L23.10	cip	+ l	de	RR	-sata chol; de
L23.11	sym	P1			
L23.12	cip	t # v S t 3 l + S	chiocredo	RRRRRRRRR	ch'io credo

L24 t q l d f R | P+ | s S f s + 3 f [prima?] | l R l n f d S t q l t l 3 f | h l s h d S c l 3 | D | [che] | P1 | s S
L24.1	cip	t q l d f R	chetal	RRRRRR	che tal
L24.2	sym	P+			
L24.3	cip	s S f s + 3 f	noandra	RRRRRRR	no andrà
L24.4	cip	l R l n f d S t q l t l 3 f	elegatochecera	RRRRRRRRRRRRRR	el legato che c'era
L24.5	cip	h l s h d S c l 3	uenutoper	RRRRRRRRR	venuto per
L24.6	sym	D			
L24.7	sym	P1			
L24.8	cip	s S	no	RR	no

L25 f t l d f 3 f | [a tanto fatto che] | P1 | R f f t l d f d S l + l d f | 3 9 | h s f + l t v b f | f c 3 l d v
L25.1	cip	f t l d f 3 f	acetara	RRRRRRR	acetarà
L25.2	sym	P1			
L25.3	cip	R f f t l d f d S l + l d f	laacetatoedeta	RRRRRRRRRRDDDD	l'à acetato e [deta?]
L25.4	num	3 9			
L25.5	cip	h s f + l t v b f	unadecima	RRRRRRRRR	una decima
L25.6	cip	f c 3 l d v	apreti	RRRRRR	a preti

L26 [et] | P1 | d S t q f R f b l d f [p(er)?] | N3 N3 | 6 v j f d h d S | [anchora non ... giorno ...] | f c S 3 R f | l t S s t
L26.1	sym	P1			
L26.2	cip	d S t q f R f b l d f	tochalameta	RRRRRRRRRRR	tocha la metà; si fa tuto
L26.3	num	N3 N3			
L26.4	cip	6 v j f d h d S	sifatuto	RRRRRRRR	tocha la metà; si fa tuto
L26.5	cip	f c S 3 R f	aporla	RRRRRR	a porla
L26.6	cip	l t S s t	econc	RRRRD	e con[?]

L27 + f d? v 3 l | [anch.. ogni cosa allora magn..] | l b f | 6 v b l | c l 3 | s S s + l 6 3
L27.1	cip	+ f d? v 3 l	datire	RRDRRR	da[t?]ire (da dire?)
L27.2	cip	l b f	ema	RRR	e ma-
L27.3	cip	6 v b l	sime	RRRR	-sime
L27.4	cip	c l 3	per	RRR	per
L27.5	cip	s S s + l 6 3	nondesr	RRRDDDD	non [desr?]

L28 [persona che s'abbia? ... l'osteria? ... diga? ... lo ... per? di? Gran chaso? ...]

L29 [...] | 3 f d S | S n s v R l n f b l | [che cosa fatica? si scrivelle?] | h v 6 d S v R c S t q S
L29.1	cip	3 f d S	rato	DDDD	-rato?
L29.2	cip	S n s v R l n f b l	ognilegame	RRRRRRRRRR	ogni legame
L29.3	cip	h v 6 d S v R c S t q S	uistoilpocho	RRRRRRRRRRRR	visto il pocho

L30 f b S 3 l | [che] | l d 3 f R S 3 S | [et] | [clear]
L30.1	cip	f b S 3 l	amore	RRRRR	amore
L30.2	cip	l d 3 f R S 3 S	etraloro	RRRRRRRR	è tra loro

L31 [ogni spera? quelche mes.. che e poi? sino tornera d'qua] | l t q S s R h v | [nischono?] | v d v | n R v
L31.1	cip	l t q S s R h v	echonlui	RRRRRRRR	e chon lui
L31.2	cip	v d v	iti	RRR	iti
L31.3	cip	n R v	gli	RRR	gli

L32 Pe | + | Q | [pogo?] | t q S s d l s d v | s S s 6 S 6 l c l UNK t q f b v s S n R f + S R t v 3 f | [nessuno?]
L32.1	sym	Pe			
L32.2	cip	+	d	D	d(i)?
L32.3	sym	Q			
L32.4	cip	t q S s d l s d v	chontenti	RRRRRRRRR	chontenti
L32.5	cip	s S s 6 S 6 l c l UNK t q f b v s S n R f + S R t v 3 f	nonsosepe_chaminogladolcira	RRRRRRRRRDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR	non so se pe[r?] chamino gl'adolcirà

L33 [Le mie noze? che V. M.? intenda? ... se gli ... alchuna? ... per fare? ... altra? ...]

L34 [a star colla maestà? et vicina? ventura? fortuna? meglio ... al ... di mancho?]

L35 [chose? ... troppo ... favore? ... mi bisogni? ... nulla? ... d'alcuna cosa alla]

L36 [quale m'arachomando] | v s d S R l + S f | 3 0 | + | 5 6
L36.1	cip	v s d S R l + S f	intoledoa	RRRRRRRRR	in Toledo a
L36.2	num	3 0			
L36.3	cip	+	d	D	d(i)?
L36.4	num	5 6

Reading

reading.md

# Lettera a Lorenzo de' Medici, Toledo, 1479: lettura in parte

Copertura completa delle 36 righe e del verso; la lettura resta incompleta.
Testo in chiaro in corsivo, ancora provvisorio. I punti interrogativi segnano dubbi;
`...` e «illeggibile» segnano lacune. ⟨numeri/simboli⟩ restano senza scioglimento.
Le parentesi tonde espandono lettere non scritte; u/v sono normalizzate nel testo
leggibile. La trascrizione letterale e i giudizi per ogni segno sono in decryption.txt
Nessuna parola dubbia è resa certa dalla presente impaginazione.

**L01** *Magnifico et generoso domino. Dato ch...? Per l'ultima scrissi a V. M. ...
a chasa d'uno merchante? ...* [d(i)?] *a Siviglia? quello*

**L02** *era seguito sino a quello giorno; ora che* ⟨6⟩ ⟨P1⟩ ave[r?][r?]à [oppure aveva?]
[conchiuso?; segni: chondiuso] lega *no?* ⟨78⟩ ⟨Q⟩ *solo*

**L03** a difensione degli stati *a ... la fama, che* cascuno d(i) loro fusino
⟨46⟩ ⟨8?9?46⟩.

**L04** ⟨047⟩ ⟨847⟩ ⟨2⟩ lo senti; *e dinanzi che* la si serà si
*si da tutto? che* [no(n) s'intedesi?] *dello*

**L05** cose comincate; *ma che modo a chostoro ano* sì poca fermeza
*che 2 ... che già?*

**L06** ⟨7⟩ ⟨9⟩ ⟨Q⟩ *la vorrà altrimenti la ragione a sua maestà,
posto che ...* parme proposito *ma ...*

**L07** *Loro lo mio?* le promese sarano *non è?* su ⟨Pe⟩
*a questa prima ...* ⟨6⟩ ⟨59⟩ *non ...*

**L08** *molto prima* [illeggibile L08.1: om_pu_] *... inso?*
[illeggibile L08.2: cl] ⟨D⟩ *già 18? ... che* ⟨O⟩ *...* d(i)? ⟨Pe⟩.

**L09** *che prima? che?* ⟨9?⟩ ⟨2⟩ lo senti e disi *finalmente?* che
⟨P?⟩ *che?* manda[r?]no *de sopra no possiamo?*

**L10** *Il re?* ⟨45⟩ *...* la lega *che ...* ⟨5⟩ ⟨P?⟩ ⟨7⟩
*e molti altri chose in modo che* la ⟨P⟩ io a

**L11** *conosco? e della ... via?* e a deti ⟨Pe⟩ si dà legiera chomesione;
e sarano

**L12** d(i)? [macchia] ⟨44⟩ ⟨48⟩. Farà loro buona cera e gl'enpierà
d(i) buone parole [et poi? / illeggibile L12.8: dzbr].

**L13** *loro s'achordano? loro viaggio? e di già? V. M. intenderà?*
[segno aperto L13.1] [macchia] ⟨QR⟩ e [Franc...? / franc(o)?]

**L14** di Santiglana ⟨P?⟩ d'Osma *degli altri* ⟨50⟩ del ⟨O⟩
*che de ... e mostra* esere

**L15** afezion[a?]to *a V. M. ...* da operarlo *p(er)? ... quella cosa
che fusse facendo*. Ve ne po-

**L16** -tete fidare. ⟨3⟩ un suo fratelo *che* è [macchia] chomandatore
magore d'Alchan-

**L17** -tara, è molto mio amico; *e tanto che sola? potuto fuggire?*
c'à dato ⟨31⟩ ⟨232?⟩,

**L18** e scoperto ogni ⟨41⟩, e à scrito al deto ⟨P⟩ *che sarano?
de chomuni?* [c?]hon ⟨44⟩ ⟨48⟩.

**L19** *potrà fare* ⟨2⟩. *Et ... allegato? chel va a la casa sua?
Io vi ... quello che si ...*

**L20** *posso(n)? ... dire? / Quello? ... non se ... parlato?
più volte ... che per ... di tornar...*

**L21** *... fulline? fatto segnio?* la ⟨29⟩ ⟨8?⟩.

**L22** ⟨6⟩ ⟨P1⟩ *andò? ...* [illeggibile L22.3: hatrogigloa]
la reina *onde? per?* con lei si farà l'aco[r?]-

**L23** -do ⟨8⟩ ⟨Q⟩. Intendete che la *che?* è d(i)sposata chol
⟨28⟩ de ⟨P1⟩; ch'io credo

**L24** che tal ⟨P+⟩ no andrà *prima?*. El legato che c'era venuto per
⟨D⟩ *che* ⟨P1⟩ no

**L25** acetarà, *a tanto fatto che* ⟨P1⟩ l'à acetato e [deta?]
⟨39⟩ una decima a preti.

**L26** *Et* ⟨P1⟩ tocha la metà; *p(er)?* ⟨33⟩ si fa tuto;
*anchora non ... giorno ...* a porla, e con[?]-

**L27** -[da dire?; segni: datire] *anch... ogni cosa ...* e masime per
non [illeggibile: desr]

**L28** *persona che s'abbia? ... l'osteria? ... diga? ... lo ... per? di?
Gran chaso? ...*

**L29** *...* [rato?] ogni legame *che cosa fatica? si scrivelle?*, visto il pocho

**L30** amore *che* è tra loro; *et ... ora ... Napole? ... e gli verranno?*

**L31** *ogni spera? quelche ... che è poi? ... tornerà d'qua?* e chon lui
*ne sono?* iti gli

**L32** ⟨Pe⟩ d(i)? ⟨Q⟩ *pogo?* chontenti. Non so se pe[r?] chamino
gl'adolcirà *nessuno?*

**L33** *Le mie noze? che V. M.? intenda? ... se gli ... alchuna? ...
per fare? ... altra? ...*

**L34** *a star colla maestà? et vicina? ventura? fortuna? meglio ...
al ... di mancho?*

**L35** *chose? ... troppo ... favore? ... mi bisogni? ... nulla? ...
d'alcuna cosa alla*

**L36** *quale m'arachomando*. In Toledo a ⟨30⟩ d(i)? ⟨56⟩.

**Verso, indirizzo:** *Magnifico et generoso domino Lorenzo de' Medici ... Firenze.*

**Verso, annotazione:** *1479 / Di Spagna / a dì 31 d'agosto.*

Santiglana è la forma letterale accettata; Santillana resta un'identificazione
possibile. Non si identifica Franc... con una persona. Il 30 al piede del recto
e il 31 dell'annotazione sul verso sono conservati distintamente. Non si scioglie
⟨56⟩ in «agosto» senza una chiave.

Translation

translation.md

# A letter to Lorenzo de' Medici, Toledo, 1479: English translation, in part

Complete line coverage of the surviving reading, not a complete decipherment.
Italics translate provisional clear handwriting. Question marks remain substantive;
unread words and code groups are preserved. Subject, tense, and antecedent are left
open where the Italian does not settle them. Editorial expansions are not extra
decoded signs. Consult reading.md and the literal decryption alongside this version.

**L01** *Magnificent and generous lord. ... In my last letter I wrote to Your
Magnificence ... at the house of a merchant? ...* [of/from?] *Seville? what*

**L02** *had happened up to that day; now that* ⟨6⟩ ⟨P1⟩ [had / will have?]
[concluded?; literal chondiuso] a league *...?* ⟨78⟩ ⟨Q⟩ *solely*

**L03** for the defence of the states; *... the report/reputation? that*
each of them were ⟨46⟩ ⟨8?9?46⟩.

**L04** ⟨047⟩ ⟨847⟩ ⟨2⟩ heard it; *and before* it [la si serà: will be?] ... *... that* [uncertain verb: nosintedesi] *of the*

**L05** things begun; *but ... these people have* so little firmness
*that 2 ... already?*

**L06** ⟨7⟩ ⟨9⟩ ⟨Q⟩ *will want it otherwise ... reason ... His/Her Majesty,
given that ...*. It seems to me appropriate *...*

**L07** *...?* the promises will be *...?* on ⟨Pe⟩ *at this first ...*
⟨6⟩ ⟨59⟩ *not ...*

**L08** *much earlier* [unread L08.1] *...?* [unread L08.2] ⟨D⟩
*already eighteen? ... that* ⟨O⟩ *...* of ⟨Pe⟩.

**L09** *that earlier? that?* ⟨9?⟩ ⟨2⟩ heard it and said *finally?* that
⟨P?⟩ *...?* [they sent/were sending?] *... we cannot?*

**L10** *The king?* ⟨45⟩ *...* the league *that ...* ⟨5⟩ ⟨P?⟩ ⟨7⟩
*and many other things, so that* the ⟨P⟩ I [to?]

**L11** *know? ... the ... way?* and to the said ⟨Pe⟩ a light commission
is given; and they will be

**L12** of [blot] ⟨44⟩ ⟨48⟩. [The subject is not written:] will greet them warmly and fill them with
fine words [and then? / unread L12.8].

**L13** *they agree? their journey? and already? Your Magnificence will
understand?* [unread sign L13.1] [blot] ⟨QR⟩ and [Franc...? / free/frank?]

**L14** of Santiglana ⟨P?⟩ of Osma *of the others* ⟨50⟩ of the ⟨O⟩
*... and shows* himself to be

**L15** [devoted?] *to Your Magnificence ...* to employ him *for? ... whatever
he was doing*. You can

**L16** trust him. ⟨3⟩ a brother of his, *who* is [blot] commander major of
Alcán-

**L17** -tara, is a very close friend of mine; *and so much that ... able? to escape?*
has given ⟨31⟩ ⟨232?⟩,

**L18** and uncovered every ⟨41⟩, and has written to the said ⟨P⟩ *...*
with ⟨44⟩ ⟨48⟩.

**L19** *will be able to do* ⟨2⟩. *And ... attached? ... goes to his house?
I ... what ...*

**L20** *can? ... say? / That? ... not ... spoken? several times ...
... returning...*

**L21** *... made a sign?* the ⟨29⟩ ⟨8?⟩.

**L22** ⟨6⟩ ⟨P1⟩ *went? ...* [unread L22.3] the queen *...?*
with her [an agreement will be made?]-

**L23** -[agreement continued] ⟨8⟩ ⟨Q⟩. Understand that the *...?* is
married or betrothed [d(i)sposata, not secure] to ⟨28⟩ of ⟨P1⟩; for I believe

**L24** that such ⟨P+⟩ will not go *before?*. The legate who had come there
on behalf of ⟨D⟩ *...* ⟨P1⟩ will not

**L25** accept [it]; *... has so arranged that* ⟨P1⟩ has accepted [it],
and [unsettled: deta] ⟨39⟩ a tithe upon the clergy.

**L26** *And* ⟨P1⟩ receives half; *through/for?* ⟨33⟩ everything is done;
*not yet ... day ...* to put it, and with [unread continuation]-

**L27** -[to say?; literal datire] *... everything ...* and especially in order
not [unread: desr]

**L28** *a person who has? ... an inn? ... says? ... great chance? ...*

**L29** *...* [unsettled: rato] every bond; *... difficulty? ... write?*, seeing
the little

**L30** affection *that* exists between them; *and ... now ... Napole? [Naples?] ...
they will come?*

**L31** *... hopes? ... what ... then? ... will return here?* and with him
*have?* gone the

**L32** ⟨Pe⟩ of ⟨Q⟩ *little?* content. I do not know whether pe[r?] chamino (on the way?)
he will soften him/them *anyone?*

**L33** *My [unsettled word: noze?] ... Your Magnificence? ... understand? ... some? ...
to do? ... another? ...*

**L34** *to stay with His/Her Majesty? ... near? ... fortune? ... better ... less?*

**L35** *things? ... too much ... favour? ... I may need? ... nothing? ...
some matter, to*

**L36** *which I commend myself*. In Toledo, on ⟨30⟩ of ⟨56⟩.

**Verso address:** *Magnificent and generous lord Lorenzo de' Medici ... Florence.*

**Verso endorsement:** *1479 / From Spain / on 31 August.*

This edition does not identify the sender or any coded person. Santiglana is kept
as written; Santillana is a possible identification. The recto's 30 is not changed
to the verso's 31, and ⟨56⟩ is not silently expanded to August. The uncertain clear
handwriting in lines 19–20, 28, and 33–35 prevents a continuous translation there.

Key: key.tsv

05 Sources

Archivio di Stato di Firenze, Mediceo avanti il Principato, filza LXXII, doc. 171 (viewer); the images are not reproduced here.
Archivio mediceo avanti il Principato. Inventario, vol. III (1957), p. 183: “Anonimo. (De Spagna, 1479 ago. 31), n. 171”.
Prabal Gupta, issue #332 and repository prabal-rje/branicki-1757, folder medici-1479: the key, the transcription, the reading and the checks.

The documentation, the key, the transcription, the reading and the checks are in targets/toledo1479.

Cite this page

Prabal Gupta and Daniel Bourdeau, “A cipher letter to Lorenzo de’ Medici from Toledo, 31 August 1479”, Cyphersolver, posted 10 November 2026, https://cyphersolver.com/toledo1479.html.

An unsigned cipher letter from Castile to Lorenzo de’ Medici, Toledo, 1479